Piece
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
1 1/2 x 1 1/4 in. (3.81 x 3.17 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
Japan
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1896
Accession Number
96.14.1327
Art Historical Context
This delicate silk fragment, titled simply *Piece*, hails from Japan during the 18th–19th centuries, a golden era for textile artistry in the Edo and early Me periods. Measuring just ½ x 1 ¼ inches (3.81 x 3.17 cm), it exemplifies the exquisite precision of Japanese woven silks, often produced for luxurious garments like kimonos ori sashes. Woven textiles from this time showcased masterful techniques, such as intricate patterning through looms that blended functionality with aesthetic beauty, reflecting Japan's deep-rooted tradition of craftsmanship where silk symbolized status and refinement...